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Column: F1 learns it overestimated fan demand for Las Vegas, the most expensive race of the year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — There is no such thing as a flawless first-year event, so go ahead and accept that there will be bumps and bruises in Formula One’s $500 million Las Vegas Grand Prix.The warning signs were as bright as The Sphere when early pricing opened for this week’s extravaganza, the most expensive grand prix to attend on this year’s 24-race calendar. With multimillion-dollar hospitality packages, exorbitant hotel rates and an initial average “get-in price” of about $2,000, this race was never about attracting new fans to the global motorsports series or growing the American audience. F1 owner Liberty Media clearly viewed a race in Las Vegas as an international showstopper for the highest of the high rollers.Renee Wilm, CEO of the grand prix, vowed “we will be sold out by the time of the event” on a Nov. 3 earnings call by Formula One Group. TWell, the big race has finally arrived and t ickets are still available, both directly and on a dramatically reduced secondary mark...

Marcelo Ebrard se queda en Morena y trabajará con Sheinbaum para las elecciones 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

(CNN Español) — El excanciller de México, Marcelo Ebrard, anunció este lunes que permanecerá en el partido oficialista Morena tras confirmar que inició un “entendimiento” con la aspirante presidencial Claudia Sheinbaum, quien prometió indagar presuntas irregularidades en el proceso interno para elegir a su abanderado y del cual fue seleccionada ella.En conferencia de prensa, Ebrard dijo que tomó la decisión tras un encuentro con Sheinbaum días atrás, luego de que la Comisión de Honestidad y Justicia de Morena aceptara que obtuvo evidencias de algunas “prácticas indebidas” durante el proceso de selección del Coordinador de la Defensa de la Cuarta Transformación y se comprometiera a iniciar los procesos de sanción correspondientes.El pasado 6 de septiembre Morena anunció que la exjefa de Gobierno de la Ciudad de México, Claudia Sheinbaum, sería su candidata presidencial, tras una contienda interna en la que él competía también junto a otros aspirantes. Ebrard estuvo inconforme c...

Miami QB Emory Williams expected back for spring, Tyler Van Dyke to start vs. No. 9 Louisville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami quarterback Emory Williams’ significantly injured left arm is expected to heal in time for him to participate in spring practice, Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said Monday.Williams suffered the injury — one so severe that some onlookers had to turn away — in the final minutes of Miami’s 27-20 loss to No. 4 Florida State on Saturday. Williams’ arm was placed in an air cast before he was taken to a Tallahassee hospital for further assessment.“Very proud of him for his effort,” Cristobal said. “I’m very proud of him for the way he handled everything.”Williams’ injury means Tyler Van Dyke — who has been Miami’s starter for much of the last three years — will be back in that role Saturday when the Hurricanes (6-4, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) play their home finale against No. 9 Louisville (9-1, 6-1).Williams completed 8 of 23 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns against the Seminoles. He became the first quarterback in nearly a f...

University of Miami student charged by DOJ in $3.5 million fraud scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

A University of Miami student has been charged by the United States Department of Justice for his alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme.According to the indictment, 21-year-old Matthew Frederic Bergwall, also known as “MXB” and co-conspirators orchestrated a fraudulent tracking scheme, known as “FTID,” targeting a multi-national shipping, receiving and supply chain management company from December 2021 to April 2022. Unauthorized access to compromised employee accounts allowed them to input false tracking information for merchandise, leading to nearly 10,000 fraudulent returns and causing over $3.5 million in lost product and sales revenue for victim-retailers nationwide, the Department of Justice said in a news release.The alleged scheme involved Bergwall purchasing high-value items for himself, including a $41,000 Rolex President Day-Date watch, a $600 TeamGee H2O Electric Skateboard, a $350 Samsung 43-inch Smart UHD TV, and an $80 pair...

Protesters call for cease-fire in Fort Lauderdale, demand Congress halt funding for Israel-Hamas war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

Protesters gathered outside Congressman Jared Moskowitz’s office, demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Monday morning’s protest, at 111 E Las Olas Blvd in Fort Lauderdale, was organized by the American Friends Service Committee and the Florida Student Power Network.“We’re here in solidarity with them calling for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid and stopping of U.S. funding to the genocide, said Mishka Ahmad, a protester at Monday’s gathering. “We’re here united with AFSC, which is a Latino-led organization, and we’re here in solidarity with them, calling for a ceasefire.” Across the street, another group of protestors were out in support of Israel and their efforts in the war. “They’re for terror. People are dying and getting murdered in Israel,” said another protester, Itamar Friedman. “And they’re for that. They don’t — they’re not for peace or anything.” The yelling from...

Nigel Farage set for testicle-chomping ‘I’m A Celebrity’ reality show

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

LONDON — Never mind the animal bollocks, here’s Nigel Farage.After much speculation, the controversial former Brexit Party leader was confirmed Monday night as a contestant on this year’s “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here,” a long-running British reality TV show that sees participants shipped off to the Australian jungle to perform grueling tasks — known as “bushtucker trials” in a bid to win a public vote.In the past these have included eating camel testicles, chomping on crocodile anus — and being enclosed in a coffin full of snakes.Explaining his reasons for taking on the show, Farage — who helped nudge Britain towards a Brexit referendum and had a two-decade spell as an MEP — said he had been “demonized over the years” by the political elite. It would, he said, be “nice to show people I am not nasty.” Asked if he thinks viewers will vote to keep him on, Farage said: “Given [that] millions hate me, I do expect people will vote for me ...

Supreme Court adopts code of ethics for the first time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday adopted its first code of ethics, in the face of sustained criticism over undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors to some justices, but the code lacks a means of enforcement.The policy, agreed to by all nine justices, does not appear to impose any significant new requirements and leaves compliance entirely to each justice.Indeed, the justices said they have long adhered to ethics standards and suggested that criticism of the court over ethics was the product of misunderstanding, rather than any missteps by the justices.“The absence of a Code, however, has led in recent years to the misunderstanding that the Justices of this Court, unlike all other jurists in this country, regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules,” the justices wrote in an unsigned statement that accompanied the code. “To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this Code, which largely represents a codification of principles that w...

November Chill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

It was cold this morning! Everybody woke up to their coldest morning of the season so far!Not only was it our coldest morning of the season, but the last time there was a morning that was colder than this, you’d have to go back to February! November has had a lot of chill, too. It’s only our third month of the year so far that’s running below normal. And coming off of a toasty October, it probably feels even more chilly than it otherwise would.We’ll keep the chill going over the next few days, but it won’t be as cold as it was today. Increasing clouds this evening and tonight will limit our cooling. So instead of waking up in then teens, most of us should wake up to temperatures near 30°. But with more clouds overhead tomorrow, we won’t warm up as fast. So despite the warmer start, it’ll still be cool in the afternoon. It’ll be another below average day tomorrow.We’ll get a few more of those blue squares that are becoming oh-so-c...

Boeing lands $52B order at Dubai Air Show

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Long-haul carrier Emirates opened the Dubai Air Show on Monday with a $52 billion purchase of Boeing Co. aircraft, showing how aviation has bounced back after the groundings of the coronavirus pandemic, even as Israel’s war with Hamas clouds regional security.Its low-cost sister airline, FlyDubai, followed up with an $11 billion order of 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the first wide-body aircraft in its fleet. Together, the sales marked a significant win for Virginia-based Boeing Co. on the first day of the air show, as airlines appear poised for even more billion-dollar deals this year.Emirates made the announcement witnessed by the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, at an afternoon news conference. Emirates CEO and Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the deal would see the carrier purchase 90 Boeing 777 aircraft, 55 of them 777-9 variants and 35 of them 777-8s.Emirates will also add an additional five 787 Drea...

US stikes Iran-backed groups in Syria

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:50:40 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and U.S. officials say U.S. fighter aircraft conducted airstrikes on locations in eastern Syria involving Iranian-backed groups, likely causing casualties and destroying weapons stored at the two targets that were struck — a training facility and a safe house.A defense official said that the training facility also served as a weapons storage and that the safe house, located in the Bulbul district of Mayadin, functioned as a headquarters for Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated groups in the area. The official said Revolutionary Guard-related personnel were present at the time of the strikes and likely were hit, but the Pentagon had not confirmed whether they were killed.The defense official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details of the strikes.The U.S. has conducted three strikes over the last two weeks against Iranian-tied weapons depots in Syria to retaliate for the more than 50 rocket and drone a...